Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-06-03
LYDIA BURN EFT,
DRESSMAKER.

-.,,.,.-....... ....................
1t was ascertained that she had brough
4 letter to the pastor of the Presbyterian
church, but the contents were strict!
confidential and nothing could be Learned
further, except that she was woman o
blameless character, and worthy the sup
port of Ill Christian people.
Mrs. Dckey, the pastors wife, gave hel
the plain sewing others followed her eX
ample and Lydia was speedily put in the
way of earning her daily bread. But she
was q battling and irritating enigma. She
received ne letters; no express packages
were ever delivered at her door; she lived
alone with no companionshp but that OF
two huge yellow cats that curlrd them
selves up IN her front window OIL dozed
peacefully by her fire5ide. AS time pro
gressed and she was not arrested for ar
son, burglary or any other henous crime,
and as her sewing and fitting were satisfac-
tory, the village gradually accepted her
insufficient identity as they accepted stub
born theological dogmas that could be
neither explained away nor set aside.
Nobody objected when she was finally ad-
mitted to membership in Parson Dickey' S
church.
But, by and by, people began to wonder
what she did with her money. Smithers,
the grocer, asserted that "what she
hen :" while the state of her black alpaca
dress already set forth, was proof that her
earnings were not invested for personal
adornment. Several ladies at the sewing
Society-which Miss Burnett never at
tended-suggested that it was very dan
g'rous for a lone woman to horde money
that-a-way," and wondered if she "berried
itin the garden or put il in an old stockn'
under her straw-tck." The salient points
of each possibility were separately discuss.
ed as the log cabin quilt slowly pro.
gressed toward startling completeness.
Miss Burnett held her peace. She fol-
lowed calmly in the wake of the styles,
Introducing the fashion leaders of Ross
vile to "tie-b backs" just as full skirts
were appearing in indianapolis, and,
reaching these, as they, again, were sup
planted by later modes in the capital.
She was tail, thin and 40. There was, even
yet. in her tlattened chest and angular
figure suggestions of what once was girl
ISL grace. The hue of the withered rose
bloomed family in her sunken cheek, and
her eye betrayed secrets of tears shed in
loneliness for griefs that had never been
forgotten. She avoided society," if so am
oitlous a term could be applied to the
population of Rossville. She neither made
nor received visits except occasional calls
upon the Dickey's, to borrow and return
The books which she obtained from the
cleruyman's somewhat meagre and heavy
plies as she basted basques or tried
sleeves, and repealed colby, but politely,
any inquiries that were of too personal
nature, For she was always studiously
polite, contrast in this respSct, to the
primitive people about her making it eyi-
dent to those who were competent to
Judge, that she was a gentlewoman by
birth and training.
One day, about the 1st of May, the cur
josity of Rossville, which had languished
somewhat from lack of sustenance, was
suddenly revived. Miss Burnett was seen
precisely at half past four on Saturday af-
lernoon, to enter the Office of Captain
Gphriam Hodges, dealer in lath, lime and
lumber. She passed behind the railing
carefully closed the little gate which separ
ated the inner from the outer compart
ment, and was observed by the loafers il
front of Smithers's grocery across thu
street, to seat herself close beside the cap
cain. She conversed earnestly with hin
Tor half an hour, then she took from hel
POCKET what one of the men declared to %,
roll of money, and which Captain
Hodges received without counting anC
locked IN drawer among the pigeon
holes of his desk. She then immediatel,
rose and left the Office, Her face, which
vas usually composed. was flushed ant
convulsed, and it was evident that sh
was weeping She hastily wiped her eyes
thrust her handkerchief into her pocket
and drew down her veil, hurringy up tn
street as If to avoid observation Fifteel
minutes later Captain Hodges came out
locking the door behind him and closin,
the heavy shutters with forced delbera
.iOn. Then, contrary to the fixed habi
II Il lifetime, he did not join the group a
Lle grocery, which was eagerly waitin
10y him, but walked toward his home, raI
:dly and with as much disturbance in hi
manner as was possible to one of hi
phlegmatic nature.
''Somethin's happened" said one of tn
men who was tilted back in a chair wit
ais legs crossed, one huge foot dangling i
he air
You bet" returned -another, laconi,
ally splitting with much excitement.
I'm goln' to find out" said thirC
tHslng slowly from the step which ha
1een his point of observation. He put hi
determination into immediate executio
~ starting after the dealer in lath an
Aime, who, by this time, had ldisappeare
within his own domain. In Rossville
was not customary to wait for develoI
ments; the searcher after truth usual
drove straight to the mark, and foun
out what he wanted to know without tn
decentralization enjoined by etiquette
This individual searcher, however return
ID in u few minutes-baffied
The proceeding had been. simple, S
hat the lapse of time between his depar
ure and return could be Indicative only {
tailure. or this, his expectant friend
were speedily and convincingly informed
jest followed him." he explained
and when | reached the front gate, SEE
'haloo Hodges, an he came out,
"What'd Miss Burnett want with We ?
-sezl.
She wanted five bushels of lime an
bundle OF laths, seq he.
SHOP SEE |, people don't usual
cyy bout thing like that" seq l.